TheWaveVR is creating a virtual reality music experience based on the world of Ready Player One for the South by Southwest SXSW conference and festival in Austin, Texas.
TheWaveVR has created a social VR experience that lets people experience concerts and music in a virtual world with other people. And at SXSW, it will bring the famous dance club scene (from Ernest Cline’s best-selling book Ready Player One, soon to be a Steven Spielberg movie). Tye Sheridan, who stars in Spielberg’s film, will appear as a special live VR DJ in TheWaveVR. The film debuts on March 29.
TheWaveVR experience will allow anyone to virtually step inside a scene inspired by The Distracted Globe zero-gravity dance club in the film. In partnership with HTC Vive, TheWaveVR designed the dance party as an immersive experience for SXSW, including specially designed avatars, iconic 1980s visuals and music, plus the ability to fly to the music in zero-gravity. Sheridan will DJ his set virtually using the new Vive Pro VR headset.
Above: The Iron Giant shows up in Ready Player One music VR experience.
TheWaveVR activation will be live at the Ready Player One Experience with Vive VR at SXSW on at 7 p.m. Friday. The experience will be launching for anyone on TheWaveVR’s free app on Steam in the U.S. beginning March 15.
“This is a big moment for VR. Ready Player One is essentially taking VR performances and features we’ve been delivering to our community and propelling them into the mainstream for anyone to see just what VR is capable of,” said Adam Arrigo, TheWaveVR CEO, in a statement. “We were really inspired by the visuals of this scene, and wanted to let people experience this idea of a futuristic dance club first hand. It was such a natural fit, since we’ve been building the tech platform that already makes it possible.
The music scene in the book is one of the pivotal points in the story. I’m looking forward to how it looks in VR.
Above: TheWaveVR will visualize Ready Player One with music in VR.
Meanwhile, TheWaveVR has created an update for its Wave Builder tool, which allows anyone to create their own VR venues, parties and shows. Using an expanding library of content from Google’s Poly applications programming interface (API) and custom visual tools from TheWaveVR, users can upload any 3D model of a scene or venue, perform as the DJ at their own shows, and throw parties for any number of friends or others in the community.
Now users can search for specific 3D Poly objects and build a unique VR experience for their friends. For example, a user could host a concert in a French cathedral or throw a bachelorette party in a Las Vegas club. Users can also create tunnels and vortexes, while also utilizing user-interface improvements like easily traveling to different shows and parties from the main menu or checking out which party a friend is located at and easily transporting there.
TheWaveVR also officially kicked off its Resident DJ program, which allows anyone to apply to throw regularly scheduled parties, using their own music, on TheWaveVR platform.
